The United States announced an ‘interim’ trade deal with India earlier this month — reducing tariffs to 18% and conditionally lifting a stringent 25% cess on the purchase of Russian oil. Officials will head to Washington next week amid efforts to finalise the legal agreement between the two countries. Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said India was looking to sign the trade deal in March. “The joint statement lays down the contours of the deal. Now the contours of the deal has to be translated into a legal agreement, which will be signed between the two sides. Next week (India’s) chief negotiator Darpan Jain will be leading a delegation to the US to finalise the legal trade agreement,” he told reporters.